Help with fell running stats a

[FellJunior]

I don't really understand the relevance of an under 23 championship. By that age either you're good enough.... or you're not. There maybe some relevance to long fell races with a navigational requirement, but beyond that I don't see the point. (I don't get the point of under 23 track and field championships either for that matter)

To put it into context, by 23 years of age Paula Radcliffe had finished 5th in the Olympics, Haile Gebrselassie had won two world championship golds over 10,000m and set two world records. I get the point of junior championships, but under 23 is stretching it a bit.....

The previous U20 category, which used the same races as the junior championship was always very poorly supported. On occasion the awarding of medals could not be justified. My theory is that U18 runners had moved on to college etc., and were unable to attend races. This possibly created a self-fulfilling situation, where entries were low because entries were low!; often races had to be combined with U16 in order to avoid having only 3 runners on the fell.
Eventually, U20 used some separate senior races in order to offer more competition, but numbers have increased with the introduction of the U23 category, which ranges from 18 to 23. I believe it is an effective stepping stone, which encourages runners to try the different nature of senior championship races. There are now more ex junior runners continuing in senior running, whereas in the past the majority simply disappeared at 18.
Your examples highlight exceptional athletes, but we should also offer a path for the less talented.

[Mark G]

Thinking some more about some of the issues raised on here perhaps the solution to what some people seem to be looking for already exists in mountain running events - they appear to me to be more of a pure test of athletic ability and things like navigation and route choice as they exist in most longer fell races dont seem to be an issue. These seem to be able to provide more of a structure and framework for 'elite athletes' for those wanting that kind of thing while fell 'racing' as it is remains a more broadly based activity - I'm not saying one is better or worse than the other, just different and some will excel at and/or participate in both but it would be a shame to make fell races more like mountain races because they would undoubtedly lose something in the process.

[manothemoors]

I noticed at Burnsall this year that the events were well supported by the very young kids but the mid-teens/under 17s races were very thin. As has been said many times, track and field has a retention problem come University time. I think the same goes for a lot of sports. People go off, get a girl/boy, have a girl/boy/ eat/drink/work etc. There isn't the available time to be a competitive athlete. I suppose that's why a lot of us drift back into things a bit later on (when we notice the paunch and the looming notion that we're running out of years).

It would be great to see some of the talented youngsters around at the moment carrying on with fell running.

[Dynamo Dan]

I don't really understand the relevance of an under 23 championship. By that age either you're good enough.... or you're not. There maybe some relevance to long fell races with a navigational requirement, but beyond that I don't see the point. (I don't get the point of under 23 track and field championships either for that matter)

To put it into context, by 23 years of age Paula Radcliffe had finished 5th in the Olympics, Haile Gebrselassie had won two world championship golds over 10,000m and set two world records. I get the point of junior championships, but under 23 is stretching it a bit.....

I don't think track athletes are directly compatible with fell runners. Considering the level of endurance needed to win a long counter in the British/English Championship, you could reasonably argue a fell runner doesn't reach their peak until their early thirties, much like a marathon runner or a cyclist. A track athlete wouldn't be running half marathons and marathons at 22 though.

Cycling is a great example of an under 23 category working really well. I think it's one area the FRA could promote with a clear conscience.